Tragic French Expedition
Marion's Voyage To New Zealand

By … Arthur O'Halloran

On the morning of the 25th March, 1772 (three years after Cook), two French ships, the Mascarin and the Marquis de Castries, were off the coast of New Zealand. The latter vessel was commanded by the Chevalier du Clesmeur, whilst Marion du Fresne, generally called Marion, was in supreme command of the expedition and was aboard the Mascarin.

At 8 a.m. the lookout sighted land—the beautiful snow-capped mountain now known as Mt. Egmont. Captain Marion named this peak “Mount Mascarin” after his own ship. He did not land, however, but after several days, gave orders for both ships to proceed north up the coast.

The French ships experienced very bad weather around the New Zealand coast. Using Tasman's chart they passed the “Three Kings,” visited Spirit's Bay, Tom Bowling's Bay, and on the 1st May, after rounding Cape Brett (called by Marion, “Square Cape”) reached the Bay of Islands.

Here, in a few weeks, Marion and many of his men were to come to a tragic end. To this same fateful bay a few years later were to come the whalers, the first missionaries, run-away sailors, and poor Busby. And here, in 1840 the Maoris, by the famous Treaty of Waitangi, were to cede the country to British sovereignty.

Arrived at the Bay of Islands, Marion dropped anchor off a large island which he named Marion Island. Here he landed the sick members of his crew, many of whom were suffering from scurvy.

As a precaution against thieving, he placed an armed guard at the camp. He seems, however, to have scouted the idea of any violence from the natives.

After having made arrangements for the sick members of his party, he proceeded ashore to a point on the mainland for the purpose of securing timber for new masts. Four huts were erected on the beach to serve as a temporary home for the shore party and as a store.

On the 29th May, the Frenchmen commenced sawing trees. During the next fortnight there were several more or less menacing incidents at the timber camp, and on the 12th June, Du Clesmeur went aboard Marion's ship and explained the position. The commander, however, seems to have had a remarkable trust in the natives, and urged Du Clesmeur to show indulgence towards them.

At 2 p.m. the same day Marion went ashore from his ship, accompanied by two chiefs who had visited him. With him were two officers and thirteen sailors who took with them nets for fishing. Neither Marion nor any member of his party lived to recount the terrible tale of that fateful mid-winter day. All were killed and eaten.

In addition to Marion's own party, no less than eleven men from Du Clesmeur's vessel — the Marquis de Castries met the same terrible fate that day, making a toll of 27 Frenchmen murdered.

Fortunately, there was one survivor from the Marquis de Castries boat party, a wounded sailor who had managed to elude the ferocious natives. This sailor hid in the bush and later got back to the ship and reported the terrible tragedy. Du Clesmeur immediately sent an armed guard to the sick camp. They were only just in time. Some 500 to

The old Residency at Waitangi, Bay of Islands.

600 natives had by now assembled and the camp was in imminent danger of being rushed. On seeing Du Clesmeur's relief party they retreated and Du Clesmuer (now in command of the expedition, Crozet being his assistant) decided to place a strong force on Marion Island and gave Lieu. Roux orders to attack the pa.

On the 14th June, Roux made his attack. His force consisted of 126 men heavily armed (cutlasses, muskets and pistols with forty rounds of ammunition).

In the attack several chiefs and many native warriors were killed. (Du Clesmeur estimated that of 450 natives engaged only about 200 succeeded in getting away). The pa was set on fire. A fortnight later, on 29th June, there was a further clash with the natives, a number of whom were shot.

On the 7th July, the French found traces of human bones—grim relics of the cannibal feasts of the previous month. Further proof of Marion's end was the sight of a native masquerading in the French leader's clothes.

Du Clesmeur now called his senior officers to a conference and it was decided to leave New Zealand and sail for the Spanish settlement at Manilla.

No attempt was made to get possession of the timber on the mainland, but a bottle was buried on Marion Island and the country was formally claimed as a possession of the King of France. Then the ill fated expedition put to sea and “Austral France” (as they had called the new land) was left to the Maoris for the next 70 years when it passed to the British Crown.